Forage

What Forage does

Forage is a USDA-approved payments technology company founded in 2020 and headquartered in San Francisco that enables merchants, marketplaces, and delivery platforms to accept SNAP EBT and EBT Cash payments online and in-store. The company is one of only three payment providers approved by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to process SNAP EBT, providing regulatory exclusivity against incumbent processors. Its cloud-native infrastructure exposes REST APIs and SDKs for JavaScript, iOS, and Android, with purpose-built components including a custom PIN entry UI that reduces invalid PIN errors by 70%, a PCI-compliant fraud layer partnered directly with USDA, and a public status page reporting 99.9%+ reliability. The platform serves online grocers (Weee!, Thrive Market, FreshDirect), national retailers via delivery aggregators (Dollar General at 16,000+ stores through DoorDash, Save A Lot at 325+ locations through Uber Eats), delivery platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart, Gopuff), POS and payments platforms (Toast, Adyen), and a long tail of SMB merchants via the Shopify App Store.

Forage's product portfolio centers on three pillars underpinned by the same API: Forage Online EBT Payments for e-commerce and marketplace checkouts, Forage In-Store EBT Payments for POS-integrated acceptance, and the Forage Consumer App (launched late 2025) that lets SNAP shoppers check EBT balances, upload receipts via computer vision, and earn up to 2% rewards redeemable as Visa prepaid cards. Supporting products include a configurable Merchant Dashboard with SFTP-based reporting, an item-level SNAP Eligibility Compliance Service for state-level waivers, and an EBT Processor Upgrade migration service targeting legacy providers. The company holds PCI-compliant security certifications and works directly with USDA on fraud defense.

Forage generates revenue primarily through a publicly listed 3.5% + $0.30 per-transaction fee on EBT SNAP and EBT Cash payments, supplemented by custom volume pricing for high-volume enterprise and POS deployments on multi-year contracts. Its hybrid go-to-market combines API-first developer adoption (public docs, GitHub, sandbox), direct enterprise sales for mid-market and large merchants, self-serve via the Shopify App Store, and channel distribution through embedded integrations with Uber Eats, DoorDash, Adyen, Toast, and others. The free consumer app monetizes indirectly by driving transaction volume to the merchant side rather than via direct consumer fees.

Name

Forage

Legal name

Forage Technology Corporation, Inc.

Website

https://joinforage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Forage is a USDA-approved payments technology company that enables merchants and delivery platforms to accept SNAP EBT and EBT Cash payments online and in-store. Founded in 2020 in San Francisco, it processes EBT transactions for retailers including Uber Eats, DoorDash, Dollar General, Save A Lot, and Toast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

EBT Payment Processing

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Embedded Payroll, Earned Wage Access & Benefits Finance (FSAGALAI)

Keywords

• EBT payment processing
• SNAP online payments
• Government benefits infrastructure
• Payment processing API
• USDA-approved payments

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. EBT Payment Processing Fees: Standard pay-as-you-go processing fee of 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction on EBT SNAP and EBT Cash payments processed through Forage's online platform. No setup fees or hidden fees.
2. Custom & POS Volume Pricing: Volume-based custom pricing packages for customers with large payment processing volumes and in-store/POS deployments; available via contact sales with discounts over the standard rate.
3. Forage Consumer App Rewards Economics: Free consumer app that surfaces retailer-funded grocery deals and rewards (up to 2% back) to SNAP shoppers; revenue generated indirectly through merchant transaction volumes rather than direct consumer fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forage provides cloud-based, USDA-approved SNAP EBT and EBT Cash payment processing infrastructure for merchants, delivery platforms, and POS systems. It enables online and in-store acceptance of government food benefits through REST APIs, native SDKs (JavaScript, iOS, Android), and pre-built integrations with Shopify, Toast, and Adyen. The platform is complemented by a free consumer mobile app that lets SNAP recipients check EBT balances, upload receipts, and earn up to 2% rewards redeemable as a Visa prepaid card.

Product overview

Forage is a mission-driven, USDA-approved payments platform built around a single core offering (cloud-based EBT payment processing) extended via three product pillars: Forage Online EBT Payments (web/app checkout for ecommerce and marketplaces), Forage In-Store EBT Payments (POS-integrated acceptance), and the Forage App (consumer-facing rewards and balance-check). The Forage API & SDKs underpin all three, while the Forage Merchant Dashboard provides analytics and the Forage EBT Processor Upgrade is a migration service targeting retailers on legacy processors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forage Online EBT Payments Cloud-based USDA-approved EBT SNAP and EBT Cash payment processing for ecommerce and marketplace retailers, delivered via REST APIs and SDKs with purpose-built PIN entry UI, high-converting checkout, and embedded compliance.
• Forage In-Store EBT Payments POS-integrated EBT SNAP and EBT Cash payment acceptance with customizable native checkout UI, automated onboarding, and dedicated EBT expert support for grocery, convenience, and restaurant meal program merchants.
• Forage App Free consumer-facing mobile application enabling SNAP/EBT recipients to check EBT balances, find exclusive grocery deals, and earn up to 2% rewards on EBT purchases by uploading receipts; rewards are redeemable via a Visa prepaid card.
• Forage API & SDKs REST API with JavaScript, iOS, Android, and cURL SDKs that enables merchants and platforms to integrate EBT SNAP, EBT Cash, WIC, HSA, and FSA payments, with prebuilt UI components, sandbox environment, and Bearer-token authentication.
• Forage Merchant Dashboard Configurable merchant analytics dashboard purpose-built for EBT businesses, supporting flexible reporting, SFTP export, settlement customization, and real-time visibility into EBT transaction performance, fraud signals, and shopper behavior.
• Forage EBT Processor Upgrade Switch/migration service helping retailers move from legacy EBT processors to Forage, promising an average 12%+ increase in SNAP EBT sales with most retailers going live in less than a day via configuration change rather than re-integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15%+ sales growth for merchants enabling EBT via Forage
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

AI capability6 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major regional grocery delivery partner, core strategic; flagship payments platform integration expanding merchant reach, major retail customer; flagship in-store and delivery partnership, tactical time-limited initiative, major online grocery customer in ethnic e-grocery segment, major national retailer customer, niche saas partner enabling local food and csa access, core strategic integration; flagship distribution channel for smb merchants, flagship delivery platform partner, major quick-commerce customer; expanded hsa/fsa support and major pos platform partner for restaurant/retail ebt.

• FreshDirectmajor regional grocery delivery partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 April 2026Forage and FreshDirect enabled online SNAP for New Yorkers, expanding EBT acceptance to FreshDirect's customer base in the New York metropolitan area.
• Adyencore strategic; flagship payments platform integration expanding merchant reachTechnology or Integration · 20 January 2026Forage partnered with payments platform Adyen to enable SNAP EBT payments for Adyen merchants in the United States. Forage provides the technical infrastructure and USDA compliance support while Adyen offers its unified commerce platform, allowing grocery, convenience, and restaurant meal program merchants to add EBT with minimal integration effort. Supports mixed-basket transactions, secure PIN entry, and EBT-specific refunds; first merchants expected to go live in early 2026.
• Save A Lotmajor retail customer; flagship in-store and delivery partnershipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Save A Lot and Forage launched SNAP EBT payments on Uber Eats at 325+ Save A Lot store locations, enhancing grocery access for underserved communities. SNAP beneficiaries can shop for eligible items online with EBT, including a promotional discount through December 31, 2025. Save A Lot's 2025 Business and Social Impact Report also cites Forage among expanded eCommerce partnerships across approximately 650 stores.
• Ziptactical time-limited initiativeGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 October 2025Forage and Zip collaborated to offer a no-fee installment payment option to Americans impacted by the 2025 government shutdown, helping households access groceries if SNAP benefits were delayed. Zip waived transaction fees and Forage leveraged its network of grocers accepting EBT to support affected households. The initiative was contingent upon delays in federal benefit issuance.
• Weee!major online grocery customer in ethnic e-grocery segmentTechnology or Integration · 8 April 2025Weee!, the largest ethnic e-grocer in the US, partnered with Forage (a USDA-approved EBT payments processor) to accept SNAP benefits. This enables culturally relevant food shopping for the approximately 1 in 8 Americans who rely on SNAP.
• Dollar Generalmajor national retailer customerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 March 2025DoorDash expanded SNAP/EBT payment capabilities to 16,000+ Dollar General stores (with Forage as the enabling payments processor), nearly doubling the network of stores accepting online SNAP/EBT to over 35,000 across 48 states.
• Local Food Marketplace (LFM)niche saas partner enabling local food and csa accessTechnology or Integration · 11 January 2025Local Food Marketplace (LFM) integrated Forage into its software to support online SNAP/EBT payment processing for local food retailers and CSAs. The integration includes automated SNAP Match and reporting tools and targets customers like Thrive Market.
• Shopifycore strategic integration; flagship distribution channel for smb merchantsTechnology or Integration · 8 August 2022Forage launched a Shopify integration enabling merchants using Shopify's e-commerce platform to directly integrate with Forage and enable EBT payments. The Shopify app allows merchants to accept SNAP, EBT Cash, and credit/debit card payments in an all-in-one solution, with Forage handling USDA FNS approval coordination and going live within approximately 90 days.
• Uber (Uber Eats)flagship delivery platform partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForage is the SNAP EBT payments partner enabling Uber Eats customers to use their SNAP benefits across participating retailers including Save A Lot. Uber's Karl Hebert (VP of Payments, Risk, and Identity) endorsed Forage as enabling a 'seamless experience' for SNAP shoppers.
• DoorDashflagship delivery platform partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForage enables SNAP/EBT payments on DoorDash, expanding acceptance to 16,000+ Dollar General stores across 48 states (nearly doubling the online SNAP/EBT network to 35,000+ stores). DoorDash's Fuad Hannon (VP of New Verticals) endorsed Forage for supporting food access.
• Gopuffmajor quick-commerce customer; expanded hsa/fsa supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerGopuff launched FSA & HSA payments powered by Forage, expanding access to healthcare essentials for consumers using tax-advantaged health benefit accounts.
• Toastmajor pos platform partner for restaurant/retail ebtTechnology or IntegrationToast and Forage offer a combined solution enabling Toast restaurant and retail customers to accept EBT SNAP benefits in-store. Toast's Omri Traub (GM, Retail) endorsed Forage as a 'like-minded technology partner' helping customers 'do both what's right and what's good for their business.'

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Conduent: One of the other two USDA-approved EBT payment processors alongside Forage and FIS. Conduent is the incumbent government payments specialist managing a large share of legacy state EBT contracts, making it the most direct head-to-head competitor for merchant EBT processor upgrade deals.
• Fidelity National Information Services (FIS): The third USDA-approved EBT payment processor and the dominant incumbent merchant acquirer in grocery. FIS processes a substantial share of legacy in-store EBT volume and represents both a direct competitor and the primary processor Forage is targeting to displace via its EBT Processor Upgrade product.
• Worldpay (FIS subsidiary): Worldpay is a top-tier merchant acquirer that historically bundled EBT into broader processing contracts for grocery and convenience merchants. Its scale and incumbent contracts make it the most important competitor in mid-market and enterprise EBT processor replacement deals.

Broad incumbents

• Stripe: Stripe is the leading developer-first online payments API serving millions of merchants. While Stripe does not currently process EBT at scale, its developer-first DNA, grocery merchant penetration, and PayPal Ventures' investment in Forage make it a credible future direct competitor should Stripe pursue USDA FNS approval.
• Adyen: Adyen is Forage's flagship payments platform partner but also a potential competitor. As a global unified commerce platform serving large grocery and restaurant merchants, Adyen could pursue USDA approval independently if it chooses to internalize EBT rather than routing through Forage.
• PayPal: PayPal Ventures is a strategic investor in Forage, but PayPal itself operates a large merchant processing business and could conceivably build or acquire EBT capabilities. As a federal benefit recipient payment rail (via prepaid cards), PayPal overlaps with the broader benefit-payments landscape Forage is expanding into.
• Toast: Toast is Forage's POS platform partner for restaurant and retail EBT. As a vertically integrated restaurant POS platform, Toast is comparable to Forage in targeting restaurant/retail merchants with embedded payments and analytics, and serves as both a distribution channel and a future potential competitor if Toast pursues its own USDA-approved EBT rail.
• Block (Square): Block operates Square for Restaurants, Square for Retail, and Cash App, all of which overlap with Forage's merchant and consumer use cases. While Block does not process EBT at scale, its SMB merchant reach and prepaid card infrastructure position it as a credible adjacent incumbent that could enter USDA-approved rails.

Emerging players

• Marqeta: Marqeta is a modern card-issuing and payments API platform serving fintechs and platforms with embedded card programs. Comparable to Forage in developer-first API design and platform-embedded distribution model, with potential overlap in prepaid/govt benefit card issuing use cases.
• Modern Treasury: Modern Treasury is a developer-first payments operations platform serving fintechs and platforms. Comparable to Forage in API-first infrastructure approach and platform-embedded distribution, though Modern Treasury focuses on bank-to-bank and ACH flows rather than government benefit card rails.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/teamforage
• Xx.com/joinforage
• Facebookfacebook.com/joinforage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forage-payments

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors17 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forage